Tasteless Liquorice & Mischievous Fireworks
by TheSpanishBanana
Summary: Meet Emil Bondevik, a 16 year old Icelandic boy trying to fit in whilst battling constant illnesses. When he, his brother Lukas and brother's boyfriend, Matthias Khøler, move yet again to a new town in Colorado, how will Emil handle his posh high school, Hetalia High? And who was that mysterious-handsome- boy he met in the Nurses office? HongIce, DenNor, SuFin, etc. Yaoi, BoyXBoy.
1. A New Beginning

**Chapter 1: A New Beginning.**

**Hola peoples~! Okay, so this new concept for a Fanfiction came to me whilst on a holiday in the Isle of Wight this summer and now I've finally got to writing it out. I seriously love HongIce; it's practically my OTP (Not going to lie, I have quite a few candidates for that title~) and so yeah…here it is!;) This will be a multi-chap fic; I can't write little ficlets for some reason:'/**

**Here are some quick names so you don't get too confused:**

**Kaoru: Hong Kong**

**Emil: Iceland**

**Lukas: Norway**

**Matthias: Denmark**

**For any of you out there who're waiting for a new chapter of Finland's Hectic Christmas, then I promise the next one will be up soon- I've almost finished writing it up~. Sorry about the wait, but GCSE's do tend to hinder ones writing life a little.**

**Rated for swearing, themes and yaoi (later on).**

**Okies, hope you enjoy this little chappie~.**

_Emil's POV_

I awoke with a sudden start as a small but firm hand shook my shoulder surprisingly roughly. Blinking lethargically, sleep left me, taking my pleasant dream away with it. Through the crack of my bleary eyes, I could see the early autumn morning sun drifting silently between my recently parted curtains. I eyed the glittering sunbeams wearily, as if willing them to dissipate and let it be night once more so that I could get more beauty sleep. I groaned though as I realised that would never happen. Propping myself up steadily on my skinny elbows and popping a few bones into place in my back, I was satisfied with the hearty '_crack_' they emitted.

"Lovely."

Lukas, my brother, stood by my bed, his arms crossed with one hand clutching a spatula and an unreadable expression on his face. He sighed dramatically, shaking his head at my bone-popping display. I shrugged nonchalantly, still half asleep.

"Now get up, you'll be late for your first day at school at this rate." He berated in his smooth Norwegian accent.

My heart stopped momentarily as my brain finally woke up and processed his words.

First day. School. Late.

"_Skít_". Up till now I'd forgotten what day this was. This was the exact day I'd been dreading for the past 6 weeks of the summer holidays. Today was the day I'd hoped I'd never wake up to. Today was the day that…that I started afresh at my new high school. Lukas raised a disapproving eyebrow at my language before massaging his temples irritably; a habit he'd become accustomed to since his boyfriend's permanent living arrangement at ours.

"Look, Emil. I can't promise anything, but the credentials of Hetalia World Academy High school are the best in the country. Hopefully we can make this location work out, okay? But you have to put in some effort too…just…try to make friends. Please?" He trailed off at the end wearily, glaring at my pet Puffin as he squawked loudly from his cage on the windowsill, as if laughing at his mini-speech like it was the funniest and most implausible thing ever. And in a way I agreed with him, but that didn't stop me from shooting a dirty look at the bird.

Turning back to face Lukas, I nodded mutely, knowing all too well that this year was going to be just as bad and humiliating as all the others past. But I was still thankful towards my brother; he'd done so much for me, after all.

Seemingly pleased with my silent agreement- although knowing deep down that it wouldn't happen too-he swiftly turned on his heel and walked out of my bedroom, stopping at my door briefly.

"Breakfast is ready. Hurry up."

He slipped out, closing the polished oak door quietly behind him. The minute he left I deflated, letting my weak arms drop and flopping down onto the bed. My eyes gazed unseeingly at the ceiling, all kinds of insecure and uncomforting thoughts buzzing around within my head.

Ugh. I hated school with a passion. It was always so noisy, so cramped and so full of dickheads. Everyone so willing to single out the one kid with the unusual looks and the health issues. I suppose that's why my brother entered me in to Hetalia W.A. High school; because it was an international academy in which the students came from many different backgrounds, many different places with many different physical appearances. Perhaps I could just about blend in this year?

Nope. Well, it was going to be just another jolly year in the life of Emil Bondevik. And I was not looking forward to it one little bit.

Turning my head to glance at my alarm clock, I did a double take. I had 15 minutes maximum to get ready for school, and that included eating breakfast, which for me was a daunting task in itself.

Groaning once again, I rolled unenthusiastically out of bed and shuffled into my bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I emerged two minutes later looking ever so slightly less bed-raggled. But it wasn't much of an improvement.

My eyes scanned the room, and quickly noticed the neatly laundered school uniform piled delicately on my desk chair. Rolling my violet orbs at one of Lukas' many feminine attributes, I made my way over to the chair, and began pulling on my clothes haphazardly. After I was sufficiently clothed (Lukas had even laid out a vest for me to wear beneath my shirt- he was so fussy!), I realised had yet to brush my hair. Shuffling up to the sink in my toilet, I inspected myself in the mirror that hung above it-which I swear was only there to taunt me of my weedy appearance. I physically grimaced at the sight of my body.

My eyes firstly lingered on my face; scrutinising the pale skin which was mostly hidden under a mop of unruly white hair. My bony cheeks were hollow, and my amethyst eyes were duller than usual if it were possible. I frowned at my lips- they were too pink and girlish for my liking yet chapped and dry. Damn I needed some lip salve on those. Despite all my protests, I could finally see why Lukas teased me about looking like a female. Not that he could talk of course.

Moving on, I wiltered drastically as I saw how utterly pathetic the school uniform looked on me. I mean, I knew I wasn't the healthiest boy in town and was a bit on the skinny side, but this was frankly ridiculous. If I hadn't remembered that these clothes had been tailored especially to my size, I would've stormed up to Lukas right now and demand another –smaller- set.

But as it was, these were supposed to be my exact size, yet they still hung off me in an unnatural way, and I looked a little lost within the excess clothing framing my slender shoulders and hips. Groaning internally, I pushed my long fringe out of my eyes to see better. I was short and scrawny; my petite torso was slumped into a perminately pathetic posture and the sleeves of the navy blue blazer hung way past my fingertips. I rolled them up. Not to mention that my trousers were going to need a belt, but at this point I was past caring anymore. I was a lost cause, to put it simply.

As I'd feared, I resembled a small,-ugly- china doll wrapped up in a teenager's clothing. Not that I was overly surprised, mind you.

This was pointless and I knew it. Lukas knew it too. As did Matthias. As he says, I'm literally skin and bone. I didn't know why I bothered trying anymore. I'd asked Lukas numerous times about the possibilities of home-schooling so that I wouldn't have to face the constant humiliation of others seeing me, and although he was rather fond of the idea as it meant fewer threats towards my dwindling health, he simply didn't have the time and couldn't afford it.

I reached for the hairbrush which sat on the counter with a frail hand and began yanking the little teeth through my knotted silver strands harshly. I spent a good three minutes or so attempting to tame the wild bed hair, but just like the rest of my body, it didn't care for my opinion and continued to stick up in every direction.

Glaring at my reflection one last time I left the bathroom, closing the door behind me with a slam. I chucked the hairbrush onto the floor and fell backwards onto by bed with a dejected sigh. Closing my eyes, I relished in the brief harmony of the moment.

But all wonderful moments come to an end.

"EMIL, Luke says ya gotta come down now~!"

My ears rang in protest of the overly loud and obnoxious voice that emanated from the stairwell. But nonetheless, I got up slowly. Ripping my phone from its charging lead and dumping some bird feed in my Puffin's bowl, I left. I didn't bother closing the door- I knew my brother would only come in later to clear up my mess anyway.

Pocketing my phone, I trudged down the stairs, scowling as I saw Matthias at the bottom, grinning up at me with his usual 1000 mega-watt smile.

"Mornin' sleepyhead!" He chuckled, motioning towards my dishevelled hair. My scowl deepened, and I smacked his hand away irritably. I didn't bother returning his greeting, instead choosing to make my way into our modern kitchen, where my breakfast awaited me.

As expected, when I entered the steaming room, an assortment of smells abused my nose and caused it to twitch lightly. I instantly noticed my brother on the far side of the room, hovering over the stove with a spatula in hand. Judging by the smell and the litres of maple syrup littering the wooden table in front of me, Lukas was probably cooking up another batch of pancakes for his ever-eating boy toy.

Ah. Had I mentioned that his 'boy toy' is also my personal Doctor?

Yeah…

I'll get to that part in a minute.

Anyway, said man was now sat at our polished table, holding his knife and fork in each hand perpendically to the surface- much like an excited, waiting child would. I rolled by eyes at his display and in return he flashed me a broad grin. I simply stared at him coldly before sitting down in my seat opposite him.

Lukas then placed a plate stacked with pancakes in front of the Dane, who practically squealed with happiness and then kissed him full on- right in front of me.

Sure, they do that all the time, but that doesn't make it any less embarrassing and AWKWARD.

Somewhat sensing the horrified expression that was undoubtedly adorning my face, Lukas pulled away and looked at me, his eyes sparking.

"Oh. Nice of you to join us Em. We were beginning to think your bed had swallowed you." He stated. I shot him a glare. Shaking it off, he returned back to the stove, and I got up in search for a bowl and a packet of cereal.

Hearing my reckless clattering of opening various cupboards, I heard Lukas sigh. He turned around to face me.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his face displaying his confusion and disagreement.

I shrugged nonchalantly as I opened another cupboard, finally finding a bowl. Yeah, Lukas had unpacked most of the cooking utensils, so I had yet to navigate my way around the kitchen. Straightening up, our eyes met, and I flinched internally as his expression darkened.

"Uh…getting myself food? I only have ten minutes." I gestured to the old clock hanging proudly on the wall behind his head.

He apparently wasn't too pleased with my answer, as he raised a slender eyebrow at my words.

"Put the bowl back. You have no use for it." The stove sizzled viciously, and he turned back around to tend to it.

Okay, so now it was my turn to be confused, "Er, what?" I inquired slowly.

With his back still turned, he waved his spatula around dramatically as he flipped the pancake.

"Put the bowl back. You're not having cereal this morning." He grumbled.

Huffing indignantly, I crossed my arms. Who was he to tell me what I am and am not going to eat?

"Oh? And why is that?" I jabbed back, irritation lacing my tone. Odin, it was too early in the morning for this shit. His prickly demeanour always managed to piss me off.

Shifting the pan in his hands a few times, he faced me, wiping his hands on his spotless apron.

"No need for your attitude Emil. I'm making you a special breakfast today. It'll keep your energy up. Go sit." He pointed his cursed spatula (seriously, I hate that thing- it's practically a part of him) at my seat. I didn't budge though.

Glaring at him heatedly, I said "I want cereal." Ugh, why did I always have to sound like a child? Damnit voice, break already!

He met my forceful gaze with one of his own.

"And I said no. _Sit_." He spoke slowly in a dangerously low tone.

A chuckle erupted from behind me, making me jump.

"Haha. Do what the little lady says Em. He don't like it when ya argue back~." The Danish voice practically sung. Both of us shot him nasty looks, but being the wonderful brother I am, I gave in and stomped back to my chair, flipping Lukas off the minute his back was turned.

Matthias chuckled again. Seems like he'd finished scarfing down his pancakes at a colossal speed. He now sat back in his chair, scrutinising me with his friendly gaze like he did every week when I came into his office for my check-up. I couldn't meet those electric blue eyes, and so busied myself looking at the table in front of my face, absentmindedly admiring the swirls of wood chips and the glossy varnish finish. I knew he could see right through me though- he always could, and this made me feel even more uneasy.

Just as I was about to tell him to stop his infernal staring, he spoke up.

"So, how're you feeling today Emil?" His tone was pleasant, but I knew he was just probing me for medical reasons, and that made me feel ever so less obliged to answer.

I simply shrugged, hiding my face beneath my long fringe. I can't say I was a big fan of attention. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for me, this was when Lukas placed a steaming plate of copious pancakes, cinnamon rolls and croissants before me. My stomach churned unpleasantly at the sight, and I struggled to hold down the bile rising in my throat.

A cold sweat started to break out across my forehead, but before I could voice my utter disgust, a cool hand came into contact with my head, and a certain doctor's voice snapped me out of my nightmare.

"Hey. Buddy, calm down there! You're getting' worked up Em, take it easy. It's just food." Flickering my eyes up, our orbs met, and he gave a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, it's okay. See? You're fine." He tried to soothe my frantic mind, and whilst it was helping a little, it wasn't doing all that much to console me.

Taking deep breathes, I felt my heart rate slow a little, and I nodded at Matthias to show I was okay. After a few tense seconds, I caught my breath, and looked up at my brother in disbelief. His mouth was drawn into a thin line as he gazed expectantly back at me, his deep blue orbs ablaze with determination.

Desperately, I turned to Matthias, who only offered me an apologetic smile. He was no help. I opened my mouth to speak my protest, but Lukas beat me to it once again.

"Eat" He demanded sullenly. I could feel his unwavering gaze boring into my back as I stared incredulously at the food-personification of Mt. Everest.

Now, don't get me wrong here, it's not that I don't eat at all or anything- I'm not one of those soppy teenage girls who hates her figure and therefore goes on a ridiculous diet. Hell- I'm the kid that needs to do the eating! And that is kind of the problem here. I just don't like food that much. It's not a disorder-at least Matthias says it isn't- but my stomach's kind of small, so I can't hold that much.

I've tried explaining this to Lukas, but he's always brushing it off, saying that if I don't eat more, 'the wind will blow me away' or 'I'd become the new model skeleton at the biology department in our school'.

"_Eat_." He drawled again, nudging my back with an elbow.

Gulping nervously, I scrambled around in my brain frantically for an excuse- _any_ excuse to get me out of this torture. I felt a metaphorical light bulb go off above my head.

"I'mlactoseintolerant." I garbled inarticulately.

Lukas raised his eyebrow.

"I'm sorry?"

"I-I'm lactose intolerant. I can't eat this." I gestured to the food, smirking internally. Silently cheering at my victory, I looked up at him only to find a similar smirk adorning his own pale features. I was taken aback, expecting a reaction akin to cursing under the breath at his stupidity or something.

I don't know, just anything other than that gut-wrenching smile of his.

Matthias broke the amused and confused silence.

"The pancakes and rolls are made with soya milk. The croissants were bought from the dairy-free part of the supermarket. As your physician I personally checked. It's perfectly edible." I stared blankly at him, an overwhelming sense of dread spreading through my veins. He seemed oblivious to my discomfort, however, as he continued, eyeing my plate pointedly.

"It's going to be a long day, so you need to keep your energy levels up. I specifically requested Luke to bake this for ya. So eat." He finished his mini speech with a half enthusiastic half sympathetic grin. I closed my eyes briefly in hope this was a nasty dream.

But the enticing smell of freshly cooked pastries filled my nose, and I so I opened them again. Slowly picking up my fork, I knew I was defeated, and that I had no other choice than to battle the monster-size meal.

"F-fine" I muttered, hanging my head slightly as I tried my best to not dwell too much on what I was about to do. I felt a gentle squeeze on my hand, and I peeked up from under my fringe to face Matthias' encouraging expression.

"It's for your own good. You need more fat on these bones." He winked playfully, and Lukas slapped him over the head with his seemingly favourite cooking instrument. The Dane pouted boyishly, giving my brother his best puppy eyes.

Lukas only blinked before returning to the oven to make his own breakfast.

I tried to even my breathing, preparing my stomach for the mass amount of content it was about to receive. I felt the Dane's eyes watching my face as I lethargically stabbed a mini cinnamon roll and held it to my lips, but I couldn't bring myself to actually eat it.

I was well aware that my health was deteriorating rapidly now we approached the winter months-it always did. But I've always felt like Lukas- and more recently, Matthias -have always made too big a deal about it; swaddling me in over-sized cardigans and jumpers, giving me mini-water bottles to place in my jacket pockets, stocking up largely on numerous cough and cold remedies and buying tons and tons of firewood. I mean, yes, I was a little weak when it came to colder weather, but I was Icelandic nethertheless; I could handle it. Besides, this morning I felt completely fine- albeit a little tired, though a dose of iron tablets would soon clear that up.

I poked my tongue out and uncertainly licked the roll. It was warm and fresh, and the cinnamon was gentle yet firm on my taste buds. Hearing my stomach grumble, I cautiously bit into the pastry, savouring the sweet tang that spread through my mouth.

Seeing my little display, Lukas clucked his tongue, exasperated.

"Just eat the damn thing, Emil, before you have no head to eat it with."

Once again flipping him the bird (and receiving another distasteful cluck) I ate the entire roll, before reaching for a small croissant. Sensing Matthias' beaming smile, I frowned at him; I didn't like it when people watched me eat.

"Shtaph shtrainm a' mn' (Stop staring at me)" I mumbled through a mouthful of croissant. Lukas shot me a disapproving frown.

"Don't talk with your mouth full. It's most undignified." He snapped.

'_Guð minn'_ I thought heatedly. This Norwegian really was a pain in the arse. Grumbling softly, I ate another small-ish croissant without complaint.

I suppose now would be a good time to explain my-our -situation.

My name is Emil Bondevik, and I'm 16 years old. Yeah, you'd think that once you've reached that age, you'd have more freedom. In my case, it's the opposite. I'm originally from the cold, geyser-covered landmass know as Iceland, but several years ago, when I was 7 and Lukas 10, my half-brother, our father and myself moved all the way to the land of the free- the great US of A to start our lives afresh.

Lukas was born in Norway 3 years before I was, but his mother tragically died in an accident, and that's how dad met my mum- whilst working on his recently deceased wife's court case. The two moved to Iceland, and that's when I came into the family. We all got on well, and a few years later we were shipped off to America as my parents were needed for a crime case over the ocean. I often miss Iceland, but I suppose America isn't too bad.

Back to the story.

When I was 13, our parents died in a freak train crash whilst on their way for their day trip to Washington DC to solve yet another case. Lukas was only my current age at the time, and so he had no legal right to care for me on his own. We therefore were forced to move across several states to live with a distant relative over in Nebraska. He got a few decent-pay jobs through the day waiting tables at a nearby restaurant to help support us- we didn't want to be a burden- and that's how he met Dr Matthias Khøler.

From then on, we switched clinics, and every Monday and Thursday since then, I'd find myself trudging down the street to see the Danish doctor.

Though last year, everything changed. Lukas turned 18, and we all moved out together- Lukas, and insufferable Matthias and of course, me. We settled down in a nice town house (courtesy of Matthias) within walking distance of one of Matthias' personal health clinics, which of course was preferable for us. But that didn't last.

The bullying started only a week or so in at high school. It started off fairly low-key at first; just the simple shove in the corridor, or a light thwack around the head, but things progressively got worse. Soon I'd find myself being beaten up on a daily basis; I'd loose all my books only to find them dumped in the boy's toilets and I would find that someone had stolen my asthma inhaler when gym was next period.

Yeah. Fun.

One day though all the really bratty jerks and jocks shoved me into the showers fully clothed and turned the water on freezing. They held my head under the water for a good ten minutes before they finally released me. I was stuck in hospital for two months with pneumonia after that episode, and needless to say my brother was not in the least bit amused.

Lukas thinks it's my bodily weaknesses that lead to me getting this abuse, but I know better. Sure, my constant ill health does play as a big factor, but I know it's also the case of my appearance.

My white hair, pale skin and purple eyes do tend to stand out within a crowd, not going to lie.

We moved out of the area after that, relocating every time Lukas saw so much as a faint bruise marring my skin. But we always made sure to move in near to one of the clinics in case of an emergency.

Yeah… and about that.

Basically I was a sickly child.

Want me to elaborate?

Fine.

When I was a toddler, I was constantly falling victim to the flu and general colds no matter what the season, and at the age of six, I was diagnosed with a weak immune system alongside asthma, severe iron deficiency, Osteopenia and Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs). So fitting in has never really been an option for me.

Not that I cared at all.

So can you now see why I dread school? I've never been liked in my previous schools, so I certainly wasn't holding hope for this one either. Just because it's posh, doesn't mean it's bully free. The only difference between these bullies and the public school ones is that there is a slim chance that they will be relatively articulate.

And before you ask, yeah, I only got into the school via a scholarship exam. Matthias' personal chain of clinics was our main source of income at the moment, alongside Lukas' part time job at the Library, but even then we would struggle to pay one terms fee alone. Though I must admit we are well off for a standard middle-class family.

So yeah, luckily for me I managed to nab one of three scholarships being offered to the public, although now I wish I'd written all the wrong answers in the entrance exam. I wasn't convinced I'd be able to survive one day at the high school, surrounded by numerous rich people who would probably have a swelling ego, because despite my sarcastic, cold and dismissive personality, I wasn't all too confident around others that I wasn't acquainted with.

Whatever. Today was going to be crap. I just hope it's over quickly.

Feeling my stomach cramping painfully, I smothered a gasp whilst lowering my fork, which still had the end of the croissant I was eating. Groaning softly, I clutched my stomach, looking at Matthias knowingly.

Meeting my eyes evenly, ne nodded once- a silent understanding.

Lukas suddenly appeared at the table, his own plate in hand.

"I'm full" I mumbled almost inaudibly.

Sitting down behind his breakfast, he finally caught on, eyeing my plate disappointedly. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"Well, it's a shame, but it will do. You can leave." His unwavering gaze returned back to his meal, already tucking in without another word to me.

I adverted my eyes from my doctor's forceful ones, breathing a sigh of relief. One verdict down, another to go.

"You did better than I thought you would" he said slowly, as if carefully choosing his words. We both pretended to not see Lukas' disbelieving expression through the corners of our eyes.

I know he was internally debating whether or not to prescribe me more food supplements, but at that point, I couldn't care less. Excusing myself quietly, I left the table, only daring to breathe once I'd left the heavy atmosphere of the room behind.

Taking a quick peek at my watch, I cursed at the digits that screamed back at me. I only had five minutes left before school started, and I had at least a fifteen minute walk! Fumbling around like a blind child in my panic, I bumped into the wall carelessly.

"Ow!" I muttered, clutching my throbbing head. I heard a silent snicker from behind me and twirled around on the spot.

Lukas' outstretched arm dangled my backpack in front of me. His eyes swam with mirth and I grimaced at his twitching lips. Why was he always around to see me fuck up? I supposed God just hated me.

"Oh shut it." I muttered. Ignoring the unspoken request to pick up my bag, I sat on the doormat and began putting my shoes on, my numb fingers fumbling with the tricky laces. I felt my cheeks heat up with embarrassment as I struggled to tie them up, especially seeing as my brother stood there observing my idiocy. After a few silent moments, I felt warm air brush against my side and I turned to see Lukas hovering over my legs, his small hands slapping mine away from the shoes with a brisk flick.

"Really? You're already sixteen Em. You've got to learn to look after yourself." He sighed, his nimble fingers making quick work of my laces. Oh, how I wanted to point out that maybe if he'd stop treating me like a child all the time, maybe I would _get the chance_ to learn how to. But I didn't voice it.

Not bothering to reply to that, I stood up, Lukas doing so at the same time. I put on my furry brown coat, which I knew I'd be needing once I left the snug house. He collected my bag off of the red carpeted floor and brushed it down before placing it in my expectant arms.

Heaving the heavy carrier onto my back, I tried to protest as Lukas held out woollen gloves and a knitted hat.

"It's 10°C Em. You've caught the flu in 17°C, so I suggest you stop being so childish and put them on."

"It's not cold." I retorted sourly, pulling a long face at his incessant nagging skills.

His glare sharpened drastically as mine met his defiantly. But after a few moments, he grumbled wearily.

"Just wear them." He snapped. Grabbing me by the wrist he tugged me forward harshly, forcing the hat upon my mussed up hair and the gloves onto my icy fingers. I tried to squirm away at first, but soon realised it was a lost cause as his painful grip only tightened on my bony arm.

Finally releasing me I stumbled back, a little disorientated from the surprise attack.

"There, was that so hard?" He demanded, sarcasm dripping in his Norwegian accent.

I didn't have any good comeback to that, so I left my mouth shut. Shifting the uncomfortable bag on my shoulders into a more preferable position, I turned on my heel and reached for the door knob, only to be stopped by two sharp pokes to my shoulder.

Whipping my head around, I raised a questioning eyebrow at his antics. Understanding my silent query, he spoke.

"Matthias has put all your medication in the usual pocket. Don't forget." He informed me, his voice void of any emotion as per usual. I just nodded mutely, already aware of this.

"Oh, and I've asked someone in school to monitor you food intake, so don't think you can get away with murder young man."

I glared at him; the feeling of anger, frustration and betrayal fuelling the fire behind my eyes.

"You can't do that!" I cried indignantly.

"I can, and I have." I ran a hand through my messy fringe in frustration, the other hand clenched into a tight fist in my pocket. Noticing my furrowed brow, Lukas groaned quietly to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to fight an oncoming migraine.

"Look. You heard Matthias_, ja_? You have to ensure your body has the nutrition it needs throughout the whole day. Because I'm telling you now, I'm not going to put up with a re-run of last October." He muttered the last part angrily. Meanwhile I still stood there, fuming silently whilst screaming insults at him in my mind.

Once he got to the end of his mini-rant, I felt my own self-control burst.

"En þú lofaðir…"I spat bitterly.

He shook his head slowly, a flicker of desperation appearing on his face briefly before it dispersed just as quickly.

"I did, and I assure you Emil I will never break it-"

"But you did!" I yelled, my voice breaking with hysteria. How could he?! I thought I could trust him! Whilst we were unpacking a few weeks prior, Lukas had promised me that he'd only tell a selected few at my school about my conditions-only those who needed to know. In my eyes, the cafeteria staff weren't on the list.

"Emil! Let me finish!" He yelled.

I paled, never having being spoken to like that since I was a child. Looking down at my shoes, I let him continue, a frown pulling at my brows.

I heard him adjust his hair behind me; the unmistakable '_click_' of his famous cross-barrette as he clipped his overly long fringe back from his face ringing in the air.

"As I was saying, I didn't break my promise Em, I swear to you." His voice had returned to its usual coolness.

"Tino is a personal friend of mine who works at the school canteen; he can be trusted. I know you don't want drama Emil, I do, but there are some people that we can't afford to keep facts from; the headmaster for example. And of course the school nurse knows too. And the head of gym…" He trailed off, going silent as to witness my reaction.

But I had nothing to say. Wrenching the door open viciously, I was yet again stopped in my tracks.

"Wait." The demand was ice cold, and I involuntarily shivered at his tone.

Hesitantly, I swivelled around only to find his hand thrust into my face.

I momentarily jumped at the action, not expecting it in the slightest. Once my accelerated heartbeat had decreased some, my eyes actually processed the two red pills sitting neatly upon his palm. My eyes widened in realisation.

"You forgot these." Lukas stated, his marine orbs steely yet smug. Standing up straight, I snatched them quickly, chucking them down my throat as I swallowed them dry. I almost moaned gratefully as I felt the drugs flow through my bloodstream, my strength and energy gradually returning.

However all the soothing effects of the drugs were pushed to the back of my mind as my amethyst orbs fell upon the watch attached to my brother's wrist.

"_Skít!_" I cursed under my breath and before Lukas could lecture me on my potty mouth, I fled from the warmth of the hallway and onto the much cooler and foreign street. I heard the Norwegian accented voice call after me.

"Remember your precautions!"

I felt my face flare up at that, and I unconsciously hid my face behind my coats collar to stop the early autumn air from nipping at my nose and cheeks. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I absentmindedly kicked at the stones and crispy leaves littering the pavement.

Oh yeah. That's another problem…

You see, because of our constant settling and re-settling issue, it means that I tend to miss a fair amount of school days during the term, and as it happens, I'm now going to enter the new high school in the middle of the year. I mean, how casual is that?

It's normal when new people start at the beginning of an academic year, or sometimes a new term, but not halfway through one! I knew I was in for a bumpy ride, and with this knowledge I deflated even further, wishing that the ground below the crunchy leaf skeletons would open up and swallow me whole.

This was going to be a long first day.

**So yeah~ Welcome to my new multi chapter fic~. I hope you liked this little taster of it. Please leave a review or whatever- I really enjoy them, and I will give everyone who does a free Kiwi bird:3**

**Okaay~ so here are some wild translations. You're welcome.**

'**Guð minn'-**_**My God**_**-Icelandic**

'**Ja'- **_**Yes**_**- Danish/ Norwegian (Different pronunciation though~).**

'**En þú lofaðir'- **_**But you promised**_**- Icelandic**

'**Skít'- **_**Shit**_**- Icelandic**

**Aaand now have some vague descriptions on Emil's numerous conditions. I'm sorry is they are inaccurate or incorrect in anyway; I'm not trained medically (except for First Aid:L) so I got them off of the internet. Feel free to correct me in a review!**

**Osteopenia****- weakening of the bones. I'm most certainly not trained in the medical profession in any way so I had to get my information form google. Sorry if anyway terms are incorrect. **

**Premature Ventricular Contractions****- a type of heart arrhythmia which is relatively common. This is the skipped heartbeat we all occasionally experience. In some people, it can be related to stress, too much caffeine or nicotine, or too much exercise.**

**Asthma****- (I thought everyone knew this one…)When ones air pipes aren't functioning as well as they could be due to a blockage of mucus which affects the breathing. **

**REVIEWS ARE MUCHLY LOVED AND CHERISHED~**

**Because, y'know, it's nice to know I'm not alone on this site:3**

**Toodles mah dearies!~**

**-TheSpanishBanana**


	2. Hetalia World Academy

**Chapter 2: Hetalia World Academy.**

**Je ne suis pas dead! I know, it's a miracle. **

**Merry Christmas to you all, and a happy New Year for tomorrow/today!:D (Depending where you live~).**

**Anyhow, I'm back with a new chapter of this HongIce ficcy because of the lovely reviews I got for chapter 1! Thank you guys! You give me the courage to post another!~**

**Although, I would've posted it anyway;). Just putting it out there.**

**Oh! And yes, I have no idea how High schools work- is it from years 11 to 13 (grade 10-12 I think that means…)? Oh Lord, I have no clue. Feel free to correct me in a review!**

**Some helpful names:**

**Kaoru Wang : Hong Kong**

**Im Yong Soo: South Korea**

**Yao Wang: China**

**Im Hyong Soo: North Korea**

**Mei Wang: Taiwan**

**Kiku Honda: Japan**

**Kasem Chao: Thailand**

**Chao Minh: Macau**

**Lien Chung: Vietnam**

**María Sanchez Carriedo: Brazil**

**DICLAIMER (En français, parce que pourquoi pas?): Non, je ne possède pas Hetalia ou les personnages. Je possède seulement le plot. Merci beaucoup pour ecouter/regarder/voir. **

**Allons y mes amis!:D**

_Normal POV_

"Kaoru! You have 15 minutes aru!"

The voice that carried up the stairs into his room cried.

Huffing silently, the Asian teenager complied. He sat up lazily, brushing his long dark fringe out of his hazy eyes with slender, tanned fingers. Mumbling inarticulately, he rolled out of his cosy bed, landing gracefully on the floor like Yao had taught him to during his daily training sessions.

Inwardly smirking, he stretched his toned body out like a cat, his lean muscles rippling under the soft skin.

"Kaoru!"

Rolling his now open eyes, he sighed. He shuffled over to the mound of clothes littered across the varnished wooden floorboards and shuffled through them lethargically. He frowned at the fistfuls of clothing he held, trying to discern what was a part of his school uniform and what wasn't through his faint headache.

Growling, he threw the items down in favour of going to his oriental-styled chest of drawers. Yanking open a beautifully crafted drawer, his usually dull brown eyes danced as they fell upon another set of uniform.

Once he'd tugged it on, he hiked through his mountain of dirty clothes to reach his private bathroom across the manic room. He nudged open the –again- hand carved door to reveal what could've been a pristine, Asian themed bathroom, equipped with a mini floor bath and a wooden sink in the far left hand corner of the spacious room. Glass cabinets adorned the wall to his right, and if he were to turn an immediate left, he'd be faced with one almost wall-long sliding glass door, which led to the primly-kept Japanese garden. It was his cousin Kiku's pride and joy.

But as it were, the room wasn't as tenderly kept as the Japanese man's little yard.

Oh no.

Kaoru's bathroom basically mirrored his bedroom perfectly; it was as if a bomb had struck it.

Various towels, socks, deodorants and medicines lay askew on the pearly tiled floor, accompanied by the odd bottle of product here and there.

This, apparently, didn't faze him one little bit as he nonchalantly manoeuvred his way past the shower to the sink.

Glancing at his reflection in the overhead mirror, he pulled a slight face at the sight of his unruly morning hair. He quickly found a suitable hairbrush discarded on the floor, alongside everything else. Not wasting a second, he darted for it and returned to the sink, pulling the comb through his choppy hair hastily.

After 3 good minutes of vigorous brushing – and a fair amount of hair gel- he was set. Running his fingers through his hair for the last time, he climbed out of the bathroom, picked up his leather satchel and briskly walked down the stairs.

As he trotted down the hallway, he was met with the wonderful smell of freshly cooked huājuǎn, zhōu, bāozi and dòujiāng. There was a hint of other foods too, but he couldn't name them. His empty stomach grumbled appreciatively at the scent.

Just as he was about to turn into the inviting kitchen, he stopped.

He could almost swear he'd heard giggling right behind him. He turned without warning, hoping to scare the mystery stalker, but no luck; the lengthy corridor stretched out before him, barren of any other life form other than himself. The only sounds present being the mandatory clattering of pots and pans in the kitchen whilst someone cooked.

Frowning, he swivelled back around, dropping his guard down for only a second-

_BAM._

His honey tinted orbs widened as the piercing sound rung through the otherwise still air, and a gasp evaded his lips as two large hands groped his chest suggestively.

"Surprise, da-ze!" A voice cackled beside his ear.

Recovering from his mini heart attack, he growled. He recognised the signature molesting and language of his overly irritating South Korean cousin, Im Yong Soo. So with a precise jab to the boy's sternum he was granted release from the wandering hands.

Kaoru attempted to collect himself whilst Yong Soo fell pathetically to the floor, whining and clutching his own throbbing chest.

"O-ow. Kaoruuu, that was meaaan…" He whimpered.

The Chinese boy scrutinised his childish cousin with a barely concealed smirk.

"Hm. Well then maybe you'll know better than to harass me first thing in the morning next time," he muttered, slinging his satchel over his shoulders and brushing down his hair. He spared a glance down at his cousin, but was taken aback by the empty spot on the carpet where he'd been seconds earlier.

"In here!"

His eyes darted to the doorway, briefly catching a glimpse of the Korean's irritating curl disappearing into the inviting room.

With a weary sigh, he followed.

The kitchen was spacious, and like the rest of the house, heavily decorated. Ancient tapestries and paintings covered the cream walls, only accompanied by dark wooden cupboards and shelves. The wall furthest from Kaoru adorned a large glass door which stretched out the entire area, much like the one in the teenager's bathroom. It allowed the early morning sunshine to gloriously fill the quaint expanse, the extra warmth appreciated by the occupants.

To the right of the doorway, was the rather extensive stove. Pots and pans lined the wall above it, and a large fan above them. Sprigs of herbs were neatly tied with twine hung gracefully next to the microwave in the corner to his right. Copious bottles and tubs of spices littered the entirety of the oak work surface.

Kaoru's eyes immediately landed on the petite form of his older brother, who, as per usual, seemed to be slaving away over the wall-long cooking area, humming to himself contentedly. Flipping the contents of his wok in the air with expert ease, he smiled, sensing the boy's presence.

"About time, I was about to let Yong and Mei eat your share aru," he joked, his warm, brown eyes glittering with mirth.

Those gentle eyes soon refocused on the sizzling stove however, and he gestured for Kaoru to sit down.

Shooting an unamused smirk at the Chinese man, he plodded up the step-the room was on a raised platform- and grudgingly dropped himself onto one of the luxurious cushion that served as a seats.

That table was set in a traditional style in that it was lowered, barely a metre off of the waxed wooden floorboards. It was fairly big too, taking up a majority of the room, despite it being stuffed in the left hand corner.

Kaoru took off his bag and placed it beside him with an impatient huff. He was hungry, and was in no way keen to entertain his two evil cousins that were giving him a predatory smile that very second.

He had the breath knocked out of him for the second time that morning as his Taiwanese relation unexpectedly glomped him.

"KAORUUUUU~." She squealed in his ear, rocking the boy back and forth excitedly.

He struggled, trying to fight out of her iron grip as she coddled him within an inch of his life.

"M-mei…" he gasped, feeling somewhat faint as she strangled him with the hug.

Through the corners of his darkening vision, he could see Yong Soo snickering at the scene as he bit a healthy chunk out of his bread. He gave the Korean the evil eye. Yong snorted.

"Mei, put him down aru. He needs to eat, and he can't if he's dead." The Chinese man chided, his back still facing them as he tended to the porridge.

The Taiwanese teenager giggled at this, still suffocating her cousin despite the man's lecture. Concealing her smile, she morphed her face into an adorable pout, her own dark eyes glimmering humorously.

"Aww~. But then surely Yong and I could have his share~?" She inquired.

Yao turned to face them, a perfectly trimmed eyebrow raised. He patted his hands together in a vain attempt to clean them of flour. The corners of his lips were tugged up in a mischievous smile.

"Hm. Whilst that is true, he has exams coming up aru. Of which he needs to ace, right Kaoru?"

Kaoru now trained his death glare at his sibling, who laughed it off with a chuckle.

"So I repeat. Put him down and let him eat. He only has…" The Asian man spared a second to glance down at his designer watch, "ten minutes. Maximum aru. As do the two of you." He pointed out, staring pointedly at the two grinning cousins.

With a dejected sigh, Mei let go, laughing quietly as she watched Kaoru cough and gasp. Honestly, he was such a weakling in the morning!

Thankful that the trio had quietened down, Yao returned to the oven, peering in quizzically. The bread was nicely cooked, and by the sound of the spitting wok, so was the Bāozi. He sang to himself quietly as he plated up the breakfast and swivelled around, only to be met with the sight of Kaoru's head face-down on the table as Mei patted his back sympathetically. Well, as sympathetically as you can whilst laughing your arse off.

"Kaoru? You alive aru?" He asked, confusion lacing his voice.

Kaoru mumbled incoherently into the glass surface.

"Um, what was that aru?" He looked at Mei for answers but she simply shrugged.

"Yong aru?" He tried, but the Korean teenager chuckled, shaking his head softly.

Kaoru grit his teeth, enjoying the cool feel of the tinted glass on his throbbing head, but alternatively hating the infuriating presence of his relatives.

"I said, I. Have. A. Headache." He spat through a clenched jaw, trying to activate his self-restraint so that he didn't kill them all, right there.

"Ohh…" The three simultaneously breathed.

Setting down the steaming plate and cup besides the boy's messy mop of hair, Yao offered him some comfort.

"Would you like me to get the painkillers, aru?" He asked, flipping his glossy ponytail over his shoulder subconsciously. Seeing his brother nod slowly against the table, the Chinese man petted the boy's long locks for a moment before scurrying off to the downstairs bathroom.

Mei and Yong exchanged worried glances. Adjusting her pretty pink flower clip in her hair anxiously, she cleared her throat.

"KaoKao, you should probably start eating, we don't have long."

She heard him mutter a reply, but once again the words were unintelligible.

"Uh, what?"

"I said, shut up…" He grumbled.

Mei frowned, her lip glossed lips forming the girl's infamous pout.

"Well, that wasn't very nice Kao~." She feigned hurt, fiddling with the hem of her short, red, pleated skirt; a uniform requirement, of course.

Chortling at his cousin's show, Yong finished up the last scrap of bread of his plate, releasing a satisfied burp soon afterwards.

The Taiwanese wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Ew. That's totally gross Yong." She complained.

"I agree aru." All heads except one shot up at the sudden appearance of their caretaker. Said man rushed to his little brother's side, hand outstretched. The packet of paracetamol lay upon his dainty hand, and Kaoru didn't waste another second snatching it out of the man's grasp.

Fumbling with the irritatingly difficult tin cover, the boy finally managed to pop out a single white pill. He chucked it down his throat, soon chugging down the glass of soy milk to aide it.

Groaning quietly, he silently thanked Yao, who dismissed him and got up.

Shrugging out of his oversized cardigan and slippers, Yao donned his smart shoes and fancy labelled coat. The trio noticed.

"You off then?" Mei asked, her eyes never leaving the slumped form of her Hong Kongese relative.

Yao flashed her a small smile as he nimbly did up his buttons.

"Yes. Luckily it opens later today aru." The girl nodded to show her attention.

"Apparently we have a new waiter arriving too aru. Hope he's better than the last one…" Yao trailed off, instead choosing to rant about the 'worse than useless Greek employee' who apparently 'slept whilst on the job' and 'attracted feral cats'.

Needless to say, they fired him.

Mei tuned out as he began his psychotic ranting; it was common.

Yao Wang was the CEO of 'Wang's Chinese' oriental restaurant, and so it wasn't surprising when he returned home only to rant about a rude customer or lazy employee. It was a highly regarded restaurant, and was now a major chain spreading across America and even Europe, so naturally Yao was under a fair amount of stress to keep the entire business up and running. Usually the CEOs of prestigious companies such as his didn't actually 'dip the nib into the ink' as it were, but Yao was different. He strongly believed that as an entrepreneur, he had a duty. And that duty is to stick by the business no matter what; to get involved; to get down on your hands and knees and experience the reality of your hardships and effort.

And he never regretted it for a second. Sure, there were ups and downs, economic booms and tax cuts, but that never stifled his desire to run the best Chinese restaurant in the world.

It had been his dream, ever since he was a child and had observed his grandfather run a quaint little café back in his hometown in China all those years ago, and now it was his life. It was his passion, his everything. He loved to cook, to explore the world of taste, scents and textures. And at the end of the day, there was nothing more rewarding than a home-cooked meal to himself; to remind him of how far he had come.

He had moved countries-no scratch that. _Continents _to achieve his perfect life, and now he had it. It was if the world had fallen into place, like that last piece in a jigsaw puzzle, and he felt elated.

Naturally, he now had enough money to comfortably support him and his family for generations. Hence why his relatives attended Hetalia High to this day. He'd always had his eye set on that school; it was multinational, had high achievement rates, and the children came out of it wholly educated, ready to join the big bright world. It was perfectly pleasant in his opinion. Even if that sloppy ex-employee of his attended it too.

Damn that Greek.

He sighed. It wasn't worth dwelling on the past, he scolded himself, even if the boy had cost him millions of dollars' worth of repairs, fines and refunds.

Putting on his scarf, he turned to Kaoru.

"Right aru. Put those-" he pointed at the packet of painkillers that lay discarded on the table-"in your bag. And if you ever feel sick, go to the nurse, okay aru?" His deep brown eyes searched in the orbs of his brother beseechingly.

Kaoru nodded wearily, having heard the exact same instruction ever since he first developed his migraine problem at the mere age of 5.

Yao smiled reassuringly at the three. "Have a nice day all, and tell Kiku and Hyong Soo to come over tonight, aru!"

Bidding the teenagers' one last farewell, he left the oriental styled mansion.

Yong huffed. "Great, so now it's our job to pry Kiki away from his boyfriend?" He moaned, not noticing Mei's slight frown at the effeminate nickname for her favourite cousin (alongside KaoKao, of course).

"Yes, and we'll do it alright. I haven't seen him in ages! He's supposed to live here, not in that boy's apartment!" She pouted cutely, yet her eyes shone darkly with determination.

Kaoru had to stifle a small chuckle as a thought ran through his head.

"Mei, did it ever occur to you that he's staying over there because you are here?" He asked, molding his face into a mask of pure stoicness as he spoke.

The girl's eyes widened as she contemplated his words.

"Are you suggesting that he deliberately stays away from his own home just because of me…?" She whispered dramatically, clutching a hand to her small chest as tears welled up on her shining orbs.

Yep. Kaoru and Yong had to agree that she was in the drama club for a reason.

Yong snickered.

"Yup. That's totally what he's saying da-zee~!" He cackled gleefully. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't an acceptable response, and he soon found himself the other side of the room with a heavily bleeding nose and a large, blossoming bruise on his right cheek.

Kaoru glanced at his cousin apologetically as he picked up his personal set of chopsticks and dug in to his delicious breakfast. He knew better than to sass the girl; she was vicious.

Mei huffed proudly, straightening out her pristine white blouse. She checked her hand too, grumbling a little when she saw the scraped and bloodied knuckles, though she preened happily at her beautifully painted nails; courtesy of one of her best friends, Elizabeta.

Shooting a glare at the Korean, she swivelled her eyes around the kitchen until they landed on the clock.

Hm. Only five minutes until the first bell of school rang.

"Right, I'm off now~. I need to catch up with the guy's before registration." She informed the other two nonchalantly.

"Oh, and KaoKao, please be on time today. I don't know how you do it; we only live two minutes away from the hell hole~!"

Pulling on her black ankle boots and pulling on her Pikachu rucksack, he waved to the two before disappearing out of the room. They heard the front door close quietly a few seconds later.

Im Yong Soo sighed in relief, attentively bathing his battered face with a cold, wet flannel. Kaoru snickered.

"You're an idiot."

The Korean only chuckled in agreement.

"Yeah…should've seen that one comin' to be honest with ya~. Ah well…" He shrugged it off, instead deciding to inspect his slightly younger cousin.

"Did ya sleep well last night?" He asked quietly, referring to the slight dark circles enveloping the mystic pools of earthy tones.

Kaoru's eyes flickered sluggishly and he tilted his head. "Pardon?" He mumbled.

Yong grinned. Obviously not.

"Nothing~. I'm gonna go too, be sure to hurry up, kay~?" He smiled mischievously at his cousin.

Throwing the dirtied flannel into the sink, he ninja rolled to the shoe rack by the large glass door and grabbed his own set of polished leather shoes. He too grabbed his bag from its previous place by his cushion and then waltzed out of the house, whistling merrily.

_Kaoru's POV_

I finished off the rest of my breakfast without a word, placing the decorated china plate and cup in the sink once I'd finished. I glanced at the clock wearily.

08:44am.

Hmph. One minute until the bells rings.

Not that I give a shit.

Yawning, I stretched out once again, only retracting my muscles once the bones clicked into their correct sockets. Seeing as I had a minute to spare, I checked my phone for any social updates. I found one.

_Monday 6__th__ November (08:39)_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Yo man, you there?;)_

_HmburgerMuncher4life: Dude, you really need to get in here now :D Room 36~_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Don't stand me up man ;D_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Fine…_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: I see how it is;P_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Guess u don't wanna hear the news…;)_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: DUDE SERIOUSLY_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: That's it. You r getting a watch 4 your next birthday._

_HamburgerMuncher4life: UGH FINE WE HAVE A NEW STUDENT APPARENTLY_

I couldn't help but smirk at the American's boisterous nature. He always got so hyped up on small things, though I'd be lying if I said that the arrival of a new student didn't interest me some.

But not much.

I bet he/she would be really boring.

And stupid.

And dislike video games.

Oh fuck it, I couldn't care less who the person was.

I quickly tapped out a reply.

_Monday 6__th__ November (08:44)_

_Fireworkgamr: Shut up. All your shouting is deafening me._

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Dude! U r alive! :D Did u hear the news?!_

_Fireworkgamr: The news of the student…?_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: YEA!:D W8…how did you kno bout that?:'O_

_Fireworkgamr: Seriously Al…?_

_HamburgerMuncher4life: huh? Oh, r u in school atm? What room?:)_

I stared blankly at the screen for a moment or two, trying to build up the courage to stay living. Although I had to admit, that big knife on the washing rack was looking rather appealing right now…

I forced myself to type.

_Fireworkgamr: I'm not in school._

_HamburgerMucher4life: huh? Then how did u kno?:S_

_Fireworkgamr: Because believe it or not, you just told me._

There. Sometimes I wondered if the American boy was all there…you know, mentally.

_HamburgerMuncher4life: Really? :O_

_Fireworkgamr: Yes._

_HamburgerMuncher4life: U sure?:S_

_Fireworkgamr: Yes. Certain, in fact._

_HamburgerMuncher4life: K then. Bell just rang, see ya 1__st__!:D_

Racketing my brains for any mental health clinics I could recommend him to join, I swiftly locked my phone, pocketing it. I had no idea why he chose to act so dumb; everyone knew he was actually very clever, though clearly he wasn't proud of it…

Right. The registration bell had now rung. Probably time that I got going.

Pulling on my tailored navy blazer over my stylish waistcoat, shirt and tie, I grabbed my brown leather satchel. I trudged across the now deserted room to claim my own pair of smart school shoes with the pointy ends. I quickly rattled my pockets to check for my house keys and spare change; you never knew when one was going to be locked out of the house of fancied a pizza bun.

I exited the kitchen, swinging my bag over my shoulder casually, combing my fingers through my styled hair hastily as I passed the royal mirror hung besides the door, and then left.

I locked the door behind me with practised ease, walking down the long paved pathway absently. Internally, I was preparing for the lecture I was about to receive for being late, and the disappointed grumbling of Yao later this evening when he got the inevitable phone call home on the matter.

Reaching the end of the path, I closed the gates and headed out onto the leaf-infested street. I stuffed my headphones into my ears, reaching for my iPhone to plug them in to; I had no intention of actually_ listening_ to the oncoming screeches of my form tutor. I stabbed the volume button mercilessly until all outside noise was drowned out by the heady bass of my own remixes that filled my very core. I tried very hard to not dwell on the image of my hair as a harsh breeze frenzied around it.

Glancing up, I saw the foreboding structure of Hetalia High looming around the next corner, safely tucked away behind enormous, golden crusted gates which bared the sign 'Private Property'.

I snorted quietly. That sign had always confused me.

It was partly shaded from view by a few primly-cut trees which stood tall and proud on the other side of the red brick wall. Their offspring were a vivid array of golds, reds and brown, a hint of moss green popping up here and there. I welcomed the splash of colour against the drab rusty reds and browns of the bricked building.

With a sigh, I approached the gates, my head still nodding softly in time to the pounding beat blasting into my ears.

I stopped in front of the towering entrance, fishing for my personal ID card which granted me access into the grounds. Flipping it through my fingers expertly, I swiped it through the available slot before me, not paying much attention as the mini red LED light above the machine switched to green.

Stuffing the card back into my wallet, I entered. I walked down the cobbled path carelessly, knowing full well that the receptionist may also have a go at me for using the front entrance to the school instead of the side one with the parking lot. The teachers kept on insisting that the front entrance was for visitors/guests only, but naturally I took no heed.

I waltzed around the grand marble fountain, not batting an eyelash at my surroundings, which were obviously made to impress the school's visitors.

Finally making it to the gleaming glass doors, I donned and swiped my card in the slot next to the buzzer, letting myself in.

I stepped inside the gleaming foyer, my eyes instantly falling upon the young receptionist who sat upon a black leather chair, typing furiously away at the computer hidden beneath the raised wooden desk across the room.

I strode up to the aforementioned woman, a confident spring in my step. Her eyes never strayed from the glowing screen as I steadily approached, her teeth gnawing nervously on her lower lip.

I stood before her silently, my foot now tapping out the beat of my music onto the plush red carpet underneath them, waiting patiently.

The receptionist's deep hazel eyes locked on me the minute I began to turn off my phone, clicking her tongue distastefully as recognition filled the fiery orbs. She glared at me forcefully for a while, before she growled.

"Bunas días, Kaoru. I trust you're late as per usual?" She spat venomously, her long manicured nails tapping sharply against the surface of her desk in an irritated fashion.

I simply offered her a knowing smirk in greeting.

"Fashionably so."

She snorted in disgust, sweeping a long black lock out of her pretty face to tuck it behind her ear. The numerous golden bangles adorning her wrist jangled as she did so.

"Now you sound like that detestable Frenchman who is friends con mi hermanito." The Latin American woman grimaced, obviously remembering previous encounters with the infamous, flirtatious Frenchman, Francis Bonnefoy.

My smirk dropped, allowing my face to return to its usual expressionless state as I removed the earbuds from my ears.

"Hm." I made a noise at the back of my throat as I watched her open a drawer to her side to collect the signing in register.

Slamming the notepad and pen onto the raised edge of her work area, she returned her gaze back to her monitor, clearly sorting through the schools timetable documents in order to tell me which lesson I had to head to.

I, of course, already knew my timetable off my heart, but I pretended to be clueless every morning to rile up the feisty receptionist.

Needless to say, we didn't get along.

At all.

Taking the offered pen, I scribbled down my English signature slowly, dragging it out as long as I could, snickering internally as I saw her eyebrows twitch angrily.

The second I lifted the pen from the paper, she snatched the pad out of my grasp. Her teeth were clenched as she bought the notebook to her face and noticed that my signature had not only swapped languages (again), but that I had signed on the page designated for tomorrows late arrivers.

I grinned cheekily at her obvious anger, our eyes burning holes into each other's.

I thought I heard her snarl the word 'immature' under her breath, but I let it go. Instead, I began to tap my own fingers upon the hard wooden surface, deliberately making the beat erratic and irritating to hear.

Attempting to busy herself, she placed the pad into the open drawer, sliding it shut with a dull 'click'. She then continued to ignore me as best she could by carrying on scanning through my overly busy timetable.

With a last satisfied click of the tongue, she turned to face me, her orbs void of any welcoming emotion as she droned "Hmph. It seems Miss Peeters has gotten you off the hook once again bastardo; she wishes to see you in the Medical centre. Apparently your guardian called in…something about a headache?" She finished with dramatized yawn and bored nail inspection.

I smirked gleefully. Whilst the earlier headache had been a killer, I was grateful for the plausible excuse to skip the hideously boring scolding I would've received had the Nurse not interfered. Apparently María wasn't too pleased with the new predicament either- she was positively seething at the thought; her jaw was tense and her eyes ablaze with hatred with the knowledge that I, yet again, was to receive no punishment.

Trying not to smile too smugly, I addressed the woman.

"So…can I go now?"

She glared, nostrils flaring. After a moment or two, she sighed heavily, clearly having had enough of my infuriating antics for one day. With a dismissive flick of her tattooed wrist, she spat:

"Sí. Just get out of my sight."

Turning on my heel, I exited the spacious lobby through another glass door to the left of her desk.

Whipping out my phone, I checked the time.

08:53

Hm…I suppose there was time to go visit Alfred before class.

**Sorry this took so long; I spent hours debating internally as to what plot I should lay out here;'D. Luckily I've now got it under control~. **

**And sorry if I made Hong a little OOC, it's my first time writing him; I promise I'll get the hang of it soon!**

**Oh, and in case you were wondering, the receptionist is my OC for Brazil. I don't know, I just felt like it. Don't worry though, she isn't a major character in the fanfic at all.**

**Here are the food items from earlier specified:**

**Huājuǎn = Steamed bread.**

**Zhōu= Plain rice porridge.**

**Bāozi= Steamed buns with meat or vegetable stuffing.**

**Dòujiāng= Soy milk.**

**Lastly, I really want to know what additional pairings you would like to see appear in this story!:D So please leave your request in a review or PM!**

**TTFN lovelies~,**

**TheSpanishBanana.**


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